Anyone else getting forced out of the mopar hobby?

[Daytona R/T SE]

I'm not being forced out of the hobby, But lately I've been SERIOUSLY considering down-sizing the fleet.

I've got 5 project cars in storage in a friend's barn, the Daytona clone I'm currently working on, and three more project cars here at the house...plus two pickup trucks and a Harley...after looking into the cost of building an additional garage here at home ( can't keep my junk in my friend's barn forever  ) combined with the HUGE amount of time I've devoted to my projects over the years AND the ungodly amount of money these things consume....I've about had it     The thought of selling all but say ... two of them and dumping the money from the sale of the extra cars back into the remaining two project cars is EXTREMELY TEMPTING...

The benefits of this include:

1. Don't have to build another garage, save the money from that, and my property taxes don't take a hike.

2. I won't have to impose on my friend's kindness any more. ( Barn Storage)

3. I might actually get the remaining two cars done before I'm too old to drive the damned things 

4. The Harley might actually leave the garage once in a while, instead of gathering dust while I spend all of my free time working my ass off on cars 

5. My old pickup would get it's indoor parking spot back...(Scraping frost off the windshield every morning sucks)

[1969chargerrtse]

Well, you get what you pay for generally.  I know my car was expensive also, but in another way it makes it more special to own.  Prices are dropping slowly on reproduction parts.  I see the repro gas caps just dropped to 75.00 in some places. Not bad price at all.  I've had many rare GM cars, but when people see the Charger, it's a whole different ball game and makes me very (broke) proud. 

[Ghoste]

My brother-in-law has a setup like that. Our Canadian relatives are jealous because they can't get kegs up there for some reason.

I don't know where your relatives are trying to get beer but we can get kegs of just about anything we want.  Domestic, imported, even different sizes of kegs from the little handy Bubba kags to the massive barroom sized.

[sick dawg]

Someone should probably also add up the cost of therapy, marriage couseling, pain reliever, medical bills, beer and lost/stolen money on parts.

I agree when it comes to the beer.  More beer went into my car than anything else. My friends are good guys and always help when needed, but they can drink some beer.  I cut my beer cost way down by getting a keg and putting it in an old ice box. I drilled a hole and mounted the tap on the door. My friends like it so much they ask me when they can come over to help work on something.  I used to feel bad asking buddies that work at a body shop all day to come over and do the same half the night, but beer seems to make it all o-kay. If you don't believe, get a cold keg and see how many volunteers come to your garage to help work on your car.

I wouldn't want anyone drinking to work on my car. And then I guess your friends all drove home ?

My friends are responsible stand up guys. They will drink a beer or two while working, but never get drunk. We consume the most while we admire our progress, or how nice the job is comming along. My garage has become like a clubhouse for man children. They are bodymen and mechanics by trade and still enjoy this stuff as a hobby. 
You guessed wrong! Rule #1. Nobody drives that shouldn't.  I'm a career police officer and volunteer firefighter, and most of my friends are volunteers too. Good ole boys having fun enjoying our hobby responsibly. It can be done! Now get R done!

[bull]

My brother-in-law has a setup like that. Our Canadian relatives are jealous because they can't get kegs up there for some reason.

I don't know where your relatives are trying to get beer but we can get kegs of just about anything we want.  Domestic, imported, even different sizes of kegs from the little handy Bubba kags to the massive barroom sized.

Vancouver/Abbotsford area.

[Ghoste]

Vancouver is Canada's hippie haven, it's hard to imagine limited beer purchase choices there but I've never been there, so what do I know?
Here in Ontario, they let us buy the giant cans.

[bull]

Vancouver is Canada's hippie haven, it's hard to imagine limited beer purchase choices there but I've never been there, so what do I know?
Here in Ontario, they let us buy the giant cans.

I don't know. He's my wife's cousin, he loves beer and yet he says he can't get kegs anywhere.

Boy, is this a bad hijack or what?

[Ghoste]

I know it's making me thirsty.  Getting back on topic though, I just finished reading another depressing prediction in the paper about rising fuel costs.  That is more likely to push me out of the hobby than any other costs associated with it.  That's easy to say when I already have a car though isn't it?

[chgr500]

Vancouver is Canada's hippie haven, it's hard to imagine limited beer purchase choices there but I've never been there, so what do I know?
Here in Ontario, they let us buy the giant cans.

...that is funny.....Vancouver is just another large metropolitan city like most others....just a much milder wet climate than the rest of Canada so our cars don't get wintered....ya want hippies head to the Okanagon or central British Columbia....real hot long summers....plants grow real good up there...lol

Anyway with the Charger I do not spend any of my working money on it...but I buy, sell and barter legal stuff to earn extra money...this can consume alot of hours and takes a while to get the car done yet seems every few years you're able to get a good deal on something and some smaller investments most times....usually auto related for most of my efforts...my car is near done with the exception of the body....and a few minor things...hard to shell out the money for this part as it is something I can't do...well not very well....so I truly think I have ZERO $$$$ invested in my car...feels better that way..but I I've spent 6k from the "Charger fund" over the last 3 years on it...I used to generally work with Mopar stuff in the past, but with the rising cost of parts I've moved onto one of the dark side models...trick is not to keep every car you buy....even though you like it....

MOPARS ARE EXPENSIVE! ...if I didn't have mine for so long or I didn't barter I likely wouldn't have a Mopar.....there were alot less production numbers for Mopar in that era than the other two and I think alot of these cars got wiped out early in their life..I know of several personally or through friends...especially big block cars...too powerful ....darn BB cars with that suregrip diff...I do recall when these cars were abundant at one time....where'd they all go?...who would of thunk!!!...

[Ghoste]

Remember when Mopars were cheap because nobody wanted anything that wasn't a Chevy?  Imiss those days when we had our little secret all to ourselves.

[hemihead]

Remember when Mopars were cheap because nobody wanted anything that wasn't a Chevy?  Imiss those days when we had our little secret all to ourselves.

I hear that . I was Mopar when Mopar wasn't cool in the 70's . I used to get verbally abused by the Chevy guys until I ran them . Women would call my Mopars ugly because they weren't Camaros or Firebirds . Back then Mopar Guys stuck together and helped each other . Mopar guys weren't greedy and just out to make a buck . Brand loyalty was everything . Mopars never ran Mopars . Man I miss the good old days.

[Rolling_Thunder]

Well I am still in the hobby myself - and i dont make that much money...       There are still decent deals around - I purchased my 69 Road Runner for a rather decent price...   complete disassembled car for ~$2,000        my charger I paid $9,000 for and have put $6,000 into it roughly...    i have a few grand more (think like 10) before it will be "done" to the point i want it...    (rims, tires, paint, EFI, 5-speed, suspension, AC, GPS, MP3/CD, custom interior, ect.)   

I figure my road runner will be on the road and complete in about $10,000 - the joys of a stock restoration!

[AKcharger]

I'm not being forced out

[68charger383]

I don't think people are being forced out, but it's hard for someone who doesn't own one to buy in.

No kegs in Canada...now I know why my relatives moved back to the States!

[Ghoste]

There are lots of kegs available in Canada.  Affordable Mopars may be a little harder to find.

[69_500]

I'm not being forced out. Is it getting expensive? HELL YEAH. Does that mean I'm going to throw in the towel and quit? HELL NO.

I love the same 2 cars now that I've loved looking at since the age of 1. And that will never change. I love the 69 Daytona's and 69 Charger 500's. Will I ever get tired of looking at those cars? NO. Will I ever stop wanting those 2 cars? NO. Even if the prices go up 5000% more I still plan on having them.

Do I want them because they are expensive? NO I want them because I love them.

I do remember when the Mopars weren't the coolest cars, they were always the smallest group of cars at any local cruise in, and generally it was the same 4-5 guys with these cars and they didn't even walk around to look at the other brands. And I don't recall too many GM or Ford guys coming over to chit chat with us Mopar people either. Now though they are coming over and always asking about buying our cars because of their sudden increase in popularity due to rarity.

There are plenty of good guys left in the hobby however, that will do you good on parts if you ask. And there are stil plenty of guys who aren't just out to make a buck off of everything.

[BigBlockSam]

My friends are responsible stand up guys. They will drink a beer or two while working, but never get drunk. We consume the most while we admire our progress, or how nice the job is comming along. My garage has become like a clubhouse for man children. They are bodymen and mechanics by trade and still enjoy this stuff as a hobby. 
You guessed wrong! Rule #1. Nobody drives that shouldn't.  I'm a career police officer and volunteer firefighter, and most of my friends are volunteers too. Good ole boys having fun enjoying our hobby responsibly. It can be done! Now get R done!   

i don't like to drink when I'm working on my car. cause it makes me tired but i always have a bottle of whiskey and beers for my friends that come over and help me . makes it more of a fun thing instead of manual labor. i will have some whiskey's when we're done. i couldn't afford this hobby with out my friends help .  Rene

[69charger2002]

i'm not getting forced out. i just don't drive them much. i don't usually buy projects because of how long they take/time they eat up. i'm already 30, yesterday i was 20.. gotta enjoy them while you can. not stare at them in project phase for 20 years. i don't know how some of you guys do it
trav

[sick dawg]

I know it's making me thirsty.  Getting back on topic though, I just finished reading another depressing prediction in the paper about rising fuel costs.  That is more likely to push me out of the hobby than any other costs associated with it.  That's easy to say when I already have a car though isn't it?

If I can't afford to drive it, at least I can polish the fender! ( thanks Billy Joel )

[SFRT]

Thankfully, Im totally back in. My last Mopar got totalled in a wreck in '94...and it broke my heart. ( 70 roadrunner). about 4 years ago I started getting the itch to have another Mopar. A really great one..so.

I started  saving money.

Last month I had enough to get the car I wanted and power through a rebuild this winter.

Some of my friends consider me insane, but it something I HAVE TO DO.

[dodgecharger-fan]

Kegs are plentiful around here... and it helps to have a chef for a brother - he knows all the beer reps.

I think I'm too far in and too stubborn to walk away to get forced out now.

I'll have a very nice 71 New Yorker (with a 440-4bbl) in a week or two. I should be well under $5000 once it's done (I think.) 

The Charger is another story. I have no idea what I've got in front of me, but it's going to be a lot of work done by a first rate shop.
The sad part is that they have to undo what I've already paid someone else to do because it was done so poorly.
I know I'm in good hands now. The guys in the shop are more upset about what they're finding than I am.

I'm afraid to add up what I've spent so far, but I'll bet $20,000 isn't far off. I'll be well over 30 just to get it into paint.
I NEED values to skyrocket in ayear or two - not that I'd sell. It'd just make it easier to justify my current streak of insanity.

[General_01]

I think it might force me to downsize. I have a '69 and a '71. I am thinking of selling the '69 so I can fix up the '71 and pay off some bills. We will see come spring if I do or not, but it would be the smart thing for me to do. I just don't do the smart thing all the time.

[Ghoste]

If I can't afford to drive it, at least I can pallish the fender! ( thanks Billy Joel )

I've told my friends for years that even if we run out of fuel or internal combustion is outlawed, I plan to keep my Charger.  I plan to be like the character in one of John Grisham's novels that had an old car in the backyard.  When I'm 90, I'll sit in the car everyday sipping whiskey from a bottle in a brown paper bag, muttering at the cats on the hood of my Charger and dreaming of a life from decades prior.

[Chatt69chgr]

Amen brother!!!!

[sick dawg]

Bad news: Insurance bill came today and the resident shedevil ( wife) saw it. She says there is no reason for me to have a giant pick-up and three cars I don't have any need for. She said I need to think about selling one of the old cars to save some money. I have a company take home car (my PD unit) that I drive all the time.  I'd rather burn county gas than my own. Shedevil says a car needs to go, so I said we can sell your car and you can drive one of mine. She'd have no part of that idea. Now every time I turn around I hear about all the money I'm spending to insure cars and motorcycles I hardly drive.
I think this is the worst way to get forced out of the hobby. She better be careful, I've got my eye on a superbird. Always wanted a wing car!